The final round of The Masters Sunday was compelling, drama as it is measured in sports to the highest degree, except...the key element was missing.

There was incredible emotion as Adam Scott dropped a birdie putt on the 18th hole to move into the lead. The thrill was matched as Angel Cabrera staked his approach shot and made a short birdie putt to force a playoff.

A great script, something Hollywood couldn't have written any better? A dream scenario at The Masters? Sure, except...the key element was missing.

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Tiger Woods fell off the pace.

Oh, if only Tiger hadn't hit the flag with an iron to the 15th green Friday. If the ball just hadn't hit the rod flush and bounded directly into a water hazard. If only Woods hadn't subsequently broken a rule by not dropping the ball directly where he had played his original shot, setting off a firestorm of controversy (Woods was eventually penalized two shots, but there were many who thought he should have been disqualified or withdrawn from the tournament on his own accord).

Then it would have been Woods, Cabrera and Scott heading down the stretch on a thrill ride.

Instead, The Masters was like a Ferris Wheel rather than a roller coaster. Golf purists, for sure, loved it anyway. However, the masses were far less enamored as Tiger missed a couple key putts on the back nine and posted a final round 70.

He needed to be great to overcome his fateful shot Friday. He was merely good.

Instead, Scott drained a birdie putt on the second playoff hole to win it. He was using one those dreaded long putters, which many view as akin to cheating. His caddy, Steve Williams, used to carry Woods' bag, and is one of the most despised people in golf. It was well-earned for many years of yelling at the gallery and photographers on Tiger's behalf, before throwing Woods under the bus after the two parted ways.

Cabrera would have presented the more fitting story. At 43, it would have been his third major championship, each more improbable than the other. He would have been second-oldest player - behind only Jack Nicklaus in 1986 - to win The Masters.

Instead, well, this. Hey, at least they are celebrating in Australia, Scott's native country, and that's a good part, considering how that nation suffered through Aussie Greg Norman's collapses in majors past.

Lets face it, golf is in crisis mode. It's Tiger Woods or bust.

The controversy surrounding Woods during the second round of the tournament gave The Masters much needed life on Friday.

It faded down the stretch with Woods during the final round Sunday.

Golf badly needs another charismatic player to develop.

Before Woods regained his spot as the No.1-ranked player in the world recently, he was replaced at the top by Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy, young and gifted, has not lived up to the hype, despite being signed for megabucks by NIKE. The other three are rarely factors in the majors.

Woods' ranking as the world's top player rings hollow. He hasn't won a major since June of 2008.

Phil Mickelson is still around, but he is not nearly the same force as he was before, his prime basically rendered to second-place status behind Woods when he was at his peak.

Woods, at 37, still has a shot of breaking Jack Nicklaus' all-time record of 18 major victories.

But on his way to the record, Nicklaus always had a rival to overcome. First, it was Arnold Palmer, the Tigers Woods' of his era because his popularity that transcended beyond the stuffy element of golf. Then it was Lee Trevino, again, another champion of the people, and Tom Watson.

Maybe it will be McIlroy and Woods carrying the flag for golf in the future.